Cancer News

Consequences of the 340B Drug Pricing Program

BACKGROUND The 340B Drug Pricing Program entitles qualifying hospitals to discounts on outpatient drugs, increasing the profitability of drug administration. By tying the program eligibility of hospitals to their Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) adjustment percentage, which reflects the proportion of hospitalized patients who are low-income, the program is intended to expand resources for underserved populations […].... Learn More

Study Finds Oncology Care Is Cheaper in Community Settings Than Hospital-Based Practices

A new study has found that oncology care in hospital outpatient settings is more expensive than independent community oncology practices. During a webinar, “Oncology Site of Care Cost Difference & Solutions,” Lucio Gordan, MD, Medical Director, Division of Quality & Informatics, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, discussed his recently published study, ““The Value of […].... Learn More

Colon Cancer: Preventable Screening

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease that is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. It is estimated to be more than 1 million new cases of CRC diagnosed annually from a global perspective with almost 700,000 deaths per year. It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females […].... Learn More

A Must-See: Incredible Medical and Science Images

2017 Wellcome Image Awards For the past 20 years, Wellcome Images has showcased the best in science and medical image making. This year's exhibition honors 22 winning images created using techniques as varied as photography and illustration to super-resolution microscopy and medical scans. For the full article, click here: http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/2017-wellcome-image-awards.... Learn More

What They Did Not Tell Us About “Medical Marijuana”

Recently I spoke with one of my daughter’s college boyfriends at some length about Marijuana. He had asked about it because he had a “friend” who wanted to use it and was concerned about any side effects. As I rattled off the problems with this substance that is now being widely hailed as a medicine, […].... Learn More

‘Individualize’ Prostate Cancer Screening, Says USPSTF

The main change in the new guidance for prostate cancer screening is the emphasis that the decision of whether or not to be tested must be individualized for each man aged 55 to 69 years. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) previously recommended against routine screening using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, saying […].... Learn More

Are Flame Retardants Driving Some of Thyroid Cancer Increase?

Initial research suggests that some flame retardants, used in many furnishings in the home, could be associated with an increased risk of papillary thyroid cancer, the most common form of this type of cancer. Reporting the findings at the ENDO 2017: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting today, Julie Ann Sosa, MD, of Duke University Medical […].... Learn More

Parental Smoking Linked to Genetic Changes in Kids With Leukemia

(Reuters Health) - Parents who smoke may contribute to genetic changes in their kids that are associated with the most common type of childhood cancer, a study suggests. Some previous research has linked parental smoking to an increased risk of childhood leukemia, but with less consistent results for mothers than for fathers. The current study […].... Learn More

ASCO Guideline for Sexual/Gender Minority Cancer Patients

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued recommendations for reducing cancer healthcare disparities among sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, which include those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex. Individuals in these groups have "disproportionate cancer burden," and they are also at risk of receiving disparate care and having suboptimal experiences […].... Learn More

HPV Vaccine During Pregnancy Does Not Increase Fetal Risk

Vaccination with a quadrivalent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine does not increase the risk for adverse outcomes during pregnancy, a new study published online March 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine shows. "Although HPV vaccination is not recommended in pregnancy, a number of women will be inadvertently vaccinated early in the first trimester […].... Learn More

Mothers Often Take Daughters to First Tanning Salon Visit

(Reuters Health) - Many girls who begin going to tanning salons before they turn 16 don’t bring along friends or go alone. Instead, they tan with their mothers, a U.S. study suggests. More than half of indoor tanners start before age 21 and about a third begin before age 18, researchers reported March 22 online […].... Learn More

SWISH Four Times a Day to Keep Oral Mucositis Away

A swish-and-spit steroid mouthwash regimen that dramatically reduces the symptoms of treatment-induced oral mucositis and improves the quality of life for women with advanced breast cancer should become a new standard of care, say researchers. The new findings come from the single-arm phase 2 SWISH trial, which tested the mouthwash in a cohort of 85 […].... Learn More

Small Cell vs. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: What Are The Differences?

Small cell cancer is true to its name. When viewed under a microscope, the cells of a small cell cancer appear small and round. Non-small cell lung cancer cells are larger in size. There are several different types of non-small cell lung cancers. These include adenocarcinoma, squamous cell, and large cell carcinoma. Symptoms Both small […].... Learn More

NCCN Updates Lung Cancer Guideline, Again

ORLANDO, Florida – It's only March, but the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has already issued five updates of its 2017 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) guidelines, as clinical practice continues to rapidly change, according to presenters here at the group's annual meeting. "Things are happening very quickly," summarized Wallace Akerley, MD, of the Huntsman […].... Learn More

Tobacco Treaty Has Helped Cut Smoking Rates, but More Work Needed

LONDON (Reuters) - A global tobacco treaty put in place in 2005 has helped reduce smoking rates by 2.5 percent worldwide in 10 years, researchers said on Tuesday, but use of deadly tobacco products could be cut even further with more work on anti-smoking policies. In a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal, […].... Learn More

Tailor Prostate Cancer Tx by Adverse Effects Profile

Each treatment for localized prostate cancer has its own distinct adverse effects profile, and physicians need to consider the comparative harms of each strategy when deciding which course is best suited for individual patients. This is the message from two separate studies and an accompanying editorial, all published online March 21 in the Journal of […].... Learn More

First Global Guide: HPV Vax for Cervical Cancer Prevention

A new global guideline aimed at clinicians worldwide offers evidence-based recommendations on the use of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer. Issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), this new guidance takes into account the varying levels of economic and structural resources and offers four levels of recommendations, depending […].... Learn More

Prostate Cancer and Vasectomy Not Linked…But With One Caveat

The findings to date have been confusing and conflicting: Does vasectomy put a man at risk for subsequent prostate cancer? The answer largely depends on the study. Some say yes, while others say no. The latest data, from a large European prospective study, shows no elevated risk for overall, high-grade, or advanced-stage prostate cancer or […].... Learn More

Chemoradiation Boosts Survival in Elderly Glioblastoma Patients

Adding temozolomide (Temodar, Merck) to radiotherapy in elderly glioblastoma patients increases survival when compared to radiotherapy alone and is a new standard of care, according to investigators. The combination has been standard in younger patients for a decade, and now, for the first time, it has been proven superior to radiation alone in elderly patients. […].... Learn More

FDA Approves Ribociclib (Kisqali) for Advanced HR+ Breast Cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved ribociclib (Kisqali, Novartis) in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Ribociclib's approval is based on interim analysis results from the pivotal […].... Learn More